We are proposing to develop an Immunology Core Laboratory within the UNC CFAR. The goal of the proposed Core will be to facilitate research within the UNC CFAR community including investigators at UNC Chapel Hill, Family Health International (FHI), Research Triangle Institute (RTI) and affiliated international investigators. This goal will be accomplished by the provision of: (1) a wide variety of laboratory services including specimen processing/storage/shipping, assessment of soluble mediators and antibodies, and assessment of phenotypic and functional parameters of the immune system;some of these services will be provided in collaboration with other investigators within and outside of UNC that offer specialized expertise and/or instrumentation not physically available within the core;(2) training in immunologic techniques to domestic and international investigators and their trainees;(3) consultation on the design and implementation of immunologic assays in HIV related studies;(4) management (collection, tracking, storage and provision) of plasma and whole blood cell pellet repositories;(5) acquisition, manipulation and provision of blood and/or blood components to basic investigators to facilitate basic science investigations of pathogenesis of and immune responses to HIV infection. The Core services provided will make a positive contribution to the UNC CFAR by extending the expertise previously available in the UNC ACTG-ISL to the entire CFAR membership as well as providing/facilitating access to new technologies, so as to promote basic, translational and clinical research at UNC.